Finding a synonym for a word is a common task in cryptic clues. It is often a short three- or four-letter word. Like the abbreviation examples, the synonym is often used in the same letter order. It is usually included as part of an anagram. 
A
About – ON
Abridge – TRIM
Absolutely not – NO
Accent – GRAVE
According to – PER
Account – ENTRY
Action – DEED
Activity – SPORT
Admit – GRANT
Advance – GO
Advantage – EDGE
Affection – LOVE
Afters – DESSERT
Against – CONTRA
Alarm – HORN
Allowance – RATION
Allusion – INUENDO
Alternative – OR
Always – EVER
America – USA
And not – NOR
Anger – RAGE
Arctic – COLD
Aristo – TOFF (as in aristocrats)
Arm – WEAPON
Army – MARTIAL
As – QUA (Latin)
As – SO
As one – UNITED
Assume– DON (as in dress, put on)
At home – IN
Attempt – GO (have a go)
Attempt – STAB
Attend – BE AT
Attitude – STAND
Authority – BOARD
Auction – SALE
Auction – SELL
Average – PAR
Away – OUT (as in away from home)
B
Badly – ILL
Bags – SACKS
Bank – RELY
Bank – TIER
Bap – ROLL
Barricade – WEIR
Batting – IN (as in cricket)
Battle – WAR
Bear – STAND
Beat – TAN
Became – GOT
Bench – FORM
Beside – BY
Big – FAT
Bit – PIECE
Bitter – ALE
Blame – RAP
Bloke – GUY
Blue – LOW
Blue-eyed girl – PET
Board – TABLE
Boast – CROW
Book – TOME
Boozer – SOT
Bound – SURE
Bowl – PITCH
Box – CHEST
Box – SPAR
Boy – LAD
Boy – SON
Boys – SONS
Bribe – OIL
Brochure – TRACT
Bury – INTER
Buzzer – BEE
By way of – VIA
C
Call – RING
Called – NAMED
Called – RANG
Came first – LED
Canal – DUCT
Canvas – SAIL
Cap – TAM (Scottish cap or bonnet)
Cap – HAT
Case – POD
Catches – LANDS
Centre – HUB
Certain – SURE
Chap – BOD
Chaps – MEN
Character – AIR (as in airs and graces)
Character – PART (in a play)
Charge – FEE
Charge – ION
Charge – RATE
Charges – WARDS
Charity – AID
Charisma – IT
Check – REIN
Checks – STEMS
Cheeky – PERT
Chewed food – CUD
Chosen – ELITE
Circuit – LAP
Class – CASTE
Class – GENUS
Cleavage – RENT
Clergy – CLOTH
Clergyman – MINISTER
Chicken – HEN
Christmas – NOEL
Clever – ABLE
Clip – PIN
Close – NEAR
Close to – BY
Clots – SETS
Club – BAT
Coffee – LATTE
Collection – LOT
Comic – MAGAZINE
Complaint – BEEF
Comrade – PAL
Concerning – ABOUT
Conduct – LEAD
Conscious – AWARE
Control – ORDER
Control – REIN
Cool – IN
Coppers – PENCE
Counterfeit – SHAM
Couple – DUO
Cover – LID
Craft – ART
Crash – BOOM
Craving – LUST
Craze – FAD
Cream – ELITE
Crew – HAND
Cricket match – TEST
Crop – CLIP
Cross – MULE (cross donkey/horse)
Crowd – RUCK
Cue – KEY
Cut – AXE
Cut off – HEW
Cut out – PARE
D
Dance – BALL
Deer – HIND
Delight – ELATION
Deliveries – OVER (as in cricket)
Depravity – VICE
Depression – SINK
Desire – YEN
Dessert – AFTERS
Diamonds – ICE
Dig – TILL
Disapproval – TUT
Disease – FLU
Distribute – DEAL
Disturbance – SCENE
Do – ACT
Dock – LOP
Dog – CUR
Dog – TRACE (as in follow)
Dole – RATION
Domestic – CHAR
Down – BLUE
Drain – SAP
Drill – MATERIAL (type of)
Drink – ALE
Drink – GIN
Drink – SIP
Drink – NIP
Drink – SUP
Dry -SEC
Drug smuggler – MULE
Dubious – IFFY
Duck – NIL
Ducks – BOBS
E
Eat – ETCH (as with acid)
Edge – END
Edge – HEM
Elected – IN
Elsewhere – OUT
Embrace – HUG
Employment – POST
Empty – BARE
Encountered – MET
End – AIM
Energy – GO
Entrance – GATE
Essential – KEY
European – POLE
Examination – ORAL
Examine – TEST
Excluding – SAVE
Exclusive – SWISH
Exists – IS
Exit – DIE
Experienced – OLD
Expert – ABLE
Expert – ACE
Exploit – USE
F
Fabric – LACE
Face – DIAL
Facilities – LOO (as in toilet)
Faction – PARTY
Factory – MILL
Family – KIN
Family – SKIN
Fashionable – IN
Fashion – FAD
Fast – LENT
Feasible – ON (as it’s on)
Feature – CHIN
Feeble – DIM
Feet – PAWS
Fell – MOOR
Female bird – HEN
Fight – VIE
Final sacrament – RITES
Fine – OK
Finish – CLOSE
Fire – SHOOT
First – BETTED
First – LED
First man – OPENER (as in cricket)
Fit – ABLE
Fit – AGUE (as in illness)
Flash – WINK
Flat – EVEN
Flat – PAD
Flea – MITE
Fly – SIDE
Follow – DOG
Fool – ASS
For example – SAY
Formal – PROPER
Free – RID
Founder – BOMB (as in a business or advertising campaign)
French cottage – GITE (a type of holiday accommodation)
Friend – ALLY
Friend – FAN
Friend – MATE
Friend – PAL
Frightening – SCARY
Fur – COAT
G
Gear – KIT
General – BROAD
Genius – BRAIN
Gentlemen – SIR
Get on – AGE
Gift – TALENT
Girl – LASS
Girl = MISS
Girl – SHE
Globe – ORB
Gloom – MUCK
Go – TURN (your turn to go)
Go after – SEEK
Go steady – DATE
God – MAKER
God – THOR
Going – BAN
Gosh – COR
Graciously – NOBLY
Gratuity – TIP
Green – VERT
Green light – GO
Greeting – HOLLA
Group – LOT
Group – RING
Group – SET
Group – SETS
Gun – ROD
Guy – CAT
H
Had a meal – ATE
Hairdo – PERM
Happy – UP
Head – NESS
Head – PATE
Head – TOP
Headland – NESS
Healthy – HALE
Hear – TRY
Heather – ERICA
Heather – LING
Held– HAD (as in owned)
Here in France – ICI
Hide – COAT (paint over)
Hill – TOR
Historical – PAST
Hits – BIFFS
Horrible – UGH
Hospital (in or within hospital) – WARD
Hundred – TON
Hut – SHED
I
I in Paris – JE
Idiot – ASS
Idiot – NIT
In camera – SECRET
In favour – FOR
In favour – PRO
Inaccuracy – LIE
Inferior – POOR
Infusion – TEA
Insect – FLY
Instruct – TELL
Intended – FIANCE
Intrinsically – PER SE
Invest – SINK
Isn’t – AINT
Issue – KID
Item – THING
Item of jewellery – RING
J
Jaunt – HOP (quick trip)
Jeer – RAIL
Jelly – GELS
Jerk – TIC
Job – POST
John – LOO (as in the slang for toilet)
Joke – CHAFF
Joke – GAG
Journalist – PRESS
Judge – REF
Judge – TRY
Jug – EWER
Jumper – ROO (after the kangaroo character)
Junior – UNDER
K
Keeping – CARE
Kid – TOT
L
Label – TAG
Labour – TOIL
Lads – BOYS
Land – TRACT
Law – RULE
Leading – TOP
Leading – UP
Leave – GO
Leaves – EXITS
Left-winger – RED (as in politics)
Length – SPAN
Less water – DRIER
Letters – POST
Level – TIED (as in even score)
Lever – PRISE
Lie – SHAM
Lies – FIBS
Like this – SO
Lines – VERSE (as in poetry)
Lip – RIM
Lit up – ON
Little girl – MISS
Little piece of land – ISLE
Live – BE (be alive)
Lives – IS
Local – PUB
Lock – TRESS (of hair)
Look – LO
Look – AIR (as in appearance)
Look cheerful – SMILE
Loose woman – TART
Lot – OODLES
Low – MOO
M
Mains – SEAS
Make notes – SING
Makes public – OUTS (verb)
Managed – RAN
Marijuana – GRASS
Mark – COLON (as in punctuation)
Mark – DOT
Marriage – ALLIANCE
Material – RE
Mature – RIPE
Meal – LUNCH
Meet – FIT
Mine – PIT
Minor – WEE (as in small)
Misdeeds – SIN
Moan – BEEF
Model – CAR
Model – SIT
Money – ANTE (as in a bet)
Moor – FELL
Music phrase – RIFF
N
Naughty – RACY
Need – WANT
Nevertheless – BUT
Noise – SOUND
Nonsense – ROT
North African – MOOR
Nose – SNOOP
Not favoured – OUT
Not on – OFF
Not once – NEVER
Not paired – ODD
Note – any letter from A – G (musical notes)
Notes – IOUS (as in debts)
Notice – BILL
Not over – ON
Nothing – ZIP
Now – TODAY
Nugget – MASS
O
Obscure – DIM
Occupied – BUSY
Of course – SURELY
Offensive – RANK
Old – SQUARE
On – LEG (as in cricket’s onside)
On account of – FOR
On holiday – AWAY
On the telly – AIRED
One – ACE
Ones – ACES
Only – SOLE
Open – OUT
Opportunity – CHANCE
Organised – RAN
Our lot – WE
Out of bed – UP
Outlets – VENTS
P
Pain – STING
Pair – BRACE
Pair – MATE (verb)
Pale – WAN
Panic – STATE
Part – ROLE
Party – DO as in ‘a do’
Party – REVEL
Passion – HEAT
Pasta – NOODLES
Pay – FOOT (as in foot the bill)
Peculiar – RUM
Peer – EARL
People – NATION
People of fashion – TON (French)
Performance – SHOW
Performed – DID
Performer – DOER
Performing – ON (on stage)
Phone – RING
Photographed – SHOT
Piece of land – TRACT
Pig – BOAR
Pilot – TEST
Pine – ACHE
Pit – DIVE
Pixie – IMP
Place – PUT
Plane – JET
Player – MAN
Players – ACTORS
Players – CAST
Plot – BED (as in garden)
Poem – ODE
Point – TINE
Police – LAW
Policeman – PLOD
Policy – LINE (as in line of approach)
Poor actor – HAM
Popular – IN
Popular support – IN (as with the in crowd)
Possess – HAS
Post – SEND
Post – SHIP
Present – NOW
Prison – STIR
Prisoner – FAG
Prisoner – LAG
Privy – LOO
Pro – FOR
Problem – SUM (as in mathematics)
Procedure – OP (as in operation)
Proper – PRIM
Proposed – TABLED
Provided – IF
Pub – BAR
Pub – LOCAL
Public – OUT
Public – OVERT
Puck – IMP
Puff – PANT
Purpose – END
Purpose – USE
Pussy – CAT
Put – PARK
Put on – ADD
Put down – BURY
Q
Quarrel – TIFF
Queue – STRING
Quick – PRESTO
Quote – CITE
R
Racetrack – LAP
Raises – REARS
Read – STUDY
Ready – RIPE
Ready – SET (as in get set, go)
Reckless – RASH
Record – LOG
Record – WRITE
Recorded item – ENTRY
Records – TAPES
Regarding – OVER
Relatives – KIN
Repeat – STRESS
Report – CRACK
Resentment – IRE
Reserve – BOOK
Resolution – END
Rest – PLACE (as in RIP)
Restrained – TIED
Retreat – DEN
Revealing – OUTING
Revel – RIOT
Review – CRITIC
Revolutionary – CHE
Revolutionary – RED
Rich – FAT
Riding – UP
Roar – BOOM
Roguish – ARCH
Roll – LIST
Roughly – OR SO
Round – LAP
Round – SANDWICH
Rubbish – DROS
Rubbish – LITTER
Rubbish – PAP
Rubbish – ROT
Rugby players – SCRUM
Rugby players – PACK
Rum – ODD
Runs – EXTRA
Runs – LOPES
S
Sadly – ALAS
Sailor – JACK
Sailor – RATING
Sailor – SALT
Sailor – TAR
Sauce – LIP
Savage – WILD
Say – STATE
Scholar – SAGE
Scoffed – FED
Search – QUEST
Sees – SPOTS
Send – POST
Send – SHIP
Senior – AGED
Set aside – ALLOW
Sex – IT
Share – CUT
Shed – THROWN
Shift – BUDGE
Shirt – TEE
Shock – HAIR
Short – CURT
Short – GIN
Short – RUM
Short – TERSE
Short while – SPELL
Show impatience – TUT
Shower – PEPPER
Side – FLY
Side – WING
Sign – BADGE
Sign – OMEN
Silent – MUM
Silver – OLD (as in hair)
Since – AGO
Sister – NUN
Skill – ART
Skilled – ACE
Slate – PAN
Slaughter – CULL
Sleep – REM
Slice off – SEVER
Sliced – CUT
Small – MICRO
Smallest room – LOO
Smell – PONG
Smooth – ROLL (v)
Social worker = ANT
Solder – JOIN
Some – ANY
Son – LAD
Song – LAY
Spectators – GATE (as in paying spectators)
Speed of sound – MACH
Spirit – RUM
Sport – REC (as in recreation)
Spot of bother – JAM
Spotted – SEEN
Spray – HOSE
Spread – RANGE
Spring – SPA
Spring – WELL
Spy – MOLE
Squall – GALE
Stage – DAIS
Stage – LEG (of a journey)
Standard – POST (as in flag post)
Start – OPEN
Steamy – HOT
Stew – HOTPOT
Stick – CANE
Stick – POLE
Still – BUT
Still – STATIC
Stock – STORE
Stone – ROCK
Stop – BAR
Stop – HALT
Stop – QUIT
Stop – RED
Store – BIN
Story – LIE
Stray – ERR (verb)
Stretch – SPACE
Strong – POTENT
Struggled – VIED
Study – DEN
Study – Read (verb)
Stuff – MATERIAL
Sturdy – STOUT
Style – MODE
Substance – CONTENT
Support – ALLY
Support – BACK
Support – BRA
Support – LEG
Support – PROP
Support – REST
Support – TEE
Supporter – BRA
Supporter – FAN
Sweep – PAN
Sweet – DESSERT
T
Take in – EAT
Tank – VAT
Tax – LEVY
Taxi – CAB
Tea – CHA
Teacher – RABI
Team – SIDE
That group – THEM
The – DAS, DIE or DER (as in German)
The foreign – LA, LE, etc
The French – LA or LE
The French uprising – reverse la (the) for AL
The Spanish – EL (in Spanish)
The girl – SHE
Therefore – ERGO
Thus – SO
Tiddler – FRY
Tier – ROW
Time spent – LIVED
To call – PHONE
To eat – DINE
To eat – HAVE
Tolerated – BORNE
Took food – ATE
Tooth – COG
Top – LID
Top – SURFACE
Total – SUM
Tourist attraction – SIGHT
Trademark – BRAND
Travel – GO
Tricky question – TEASE
Trouble – AIL
Trouble, fuss – ADO
Troubles – PAINS
Travel – GO
Trial – TEST
Tries – HEARS (as in a court case)
Truth – FACT
Try – Hear (as in court)
Tucked in – ATE
Turn – ACT (as in next on stage)
Turn – GO
Twitching – TIC
U
Umpire – REF
Unchanged – AS IS
Underground worker – MINER
Uniform – EVEN
Unfashionable – OUT
Unwell – AIL
V
Vault – TOMB
Vehicle – BUS
Very – MOST
Very – SO
Very dry – BRUT
Vessel – PAN
Vessel – POT
View – SEE
View – SIGHT
Visiting – AT
W
Walk – MALL
Was first – LED
Watch – TICKER
Weak – LAME
Weight – TARE
Well – OK
Well – SO
When – AS
Whip – LASH
White – PALE
Wine – ASTI
Wine – PORT
Winning – UP
Wisdom – LORE
Within reach – HANDY
With German – MIT
Without – MINUS
Without exception – ALL
Wolf – EAT (as in wolf down)
Work – GO
Work – LINE (of work)
Work – PLY
Worker – ANT
Worker – BEE
Worker – HAND
Worker – MAN
Working – ON (as in on duty)
Works – MILL
World – ORB
Wretched – LORN (archaic)
Write – PEN
Writer – PENS
Wrong – SIN
Wrong – TORT
Y
Yank – TUG
Yell – RANT
Yes – RIGHT
You – THOU
You – TU (in French)
You and I – US or WE
Young fellow – CUB
Note: The foreign – this could be any foreign word meaning “the”. For example, LE (in French) and so on.
Examples
1] Bury stick, leaving evidence finally for detectives (8).
The definition word is “detectives”. For bury use the word INTER. For stick use POLE. Leaving evidence finally is the letter manipulation flag for you to remove the E, the last letter of “pole”, to give you the anagram INTERPOL. The answer, of course, is “interpol”.
2] Pussy eats stewed bream or some other sea food (8). Use the synonym for pussy CAT. Stewed is an anagram flag. CATBREAM is the anagram, and the answer is “crabmeat”.
3] Sadly never having had food, daughter becomes exhausted (9). The synonym here is “having had food”. Note the use of the negative to deliberately mislead you with “never having had food” but this is the wrong interpretation. Sadly is the anagram flag indicating you use NEVER in your answer. For “having food” use the synonym ATE. Use D for the abbreviation of daughter, for the full anagram ATEDNEVER. The answer is “enervated”.
4] Skipper’s on call, being top manager (10). Two synonyms here, use MASTER for skipper and RING for call (making a call). “On” tells you that “call” comes first. The answer is “ringmaster”.
5] Adopt a series of steps to disappear quickly (4,6). Use TAKE for adopt, and FLIGHT for a flight of stairs (series of steps). The answer is “take flight”.
6] Absolutely great in play (7). Two synonyms here. Use TALL for great, and TOY for play, to get the anagram TALLTOY. Answer is “totally”.
7] Suggestions from open individuals (9). Another two synonyms. Use OVERT for open and ONES for individuals. The answer is “overtones”.
8] Cunning plan, petrol as driving force (10). Cunning is the anagram flag for PLAN PETROL. Note the misplaced comma! The answer is “propellant”.
By Nigel Benetton
Last updated: Monday, 21st March 2022